63 62 Hell hath no fury.

Waking up next to Machi I ponder. Playing the sub isn't nearly as fun as being the dom, though the humour of this makes up for that. Machi was positively adorable when she was blushing and trying to be all stern and dominatrix at the same time. I didn't think she would have been a virgin but I guess none of the men her dad hires seem like they would be very good subs.

I look over to her sleeping face as she clings to me under the covers.

It's only been like, three weeks, so Swans estimate of me being able to do this in a month are probably going to be accurate then. This has been fun, but all good things must come to an end I guess. I do love it when people show passion, just pure, 𝘳𝘢𝘸 emotion because intense emotions like that are so unfamiliar to me so it's a treat every time I get to see it.

Speaking of, Machi is waking up, so I give a happy smile and look to her like a puppy seeking affection, and when her eyes open and she takes me in, and takes a moment to remember last night, she gains a grin and looks at me with eyes full of 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴.

"Good morning Felix," She whispers to me as she strokes my chiseled body, "I still can't believe you were hiding such a body beneath your clothes. Did you sleep well?" her tone turns teasing at the end that, of course, makes me blush, though not as much as before. Still, I look to her in devotion as I whisper my response.

"Y-yes, Mistress."

And like it was some trigger word, Machi gets all excited and I think we're going to be late for breakfast.

We were, in fact, late for breakfast. When we walked down to the dining room together, Machi leading me by the arm, the occupants of the room all raise an eyebrow to our closeness. The occupants being Tamaki and his butler who's name I've forgotten momentarily.

"Mornin' Papa." Machi greets before taking a seat and making me sit beside her.

"Good morning darling, and a good morning to you too Felix, I trust you both slept well then?" Tamaki speaks with a raised eyebrow and a teasing tone that naturally has me blushing and looking anywhere but him.

Machi doesn't have the same reservations as she proudly and confidently leans over and gives me a quick kiss on the lips before turning back to her father.

"Mmhm, Felix is 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦 now, so he'll be staying in my room from now on."

She says that with confidence but I can see the slightest bit of a blush on her neck from her bold words, of course I need to stay in character, so I just study the table intently, mumbling nonsense to myself.

A server comes in with two more servings of breakfast for me and Machi that we both dig into, and after a while, her father seems to make up his mind and asks me a question.

"So, Felix, I'd like to know more about my daughters boyfriend, where are you from? what lead you to be here?"

I swallow my food and then swallow again for my nerves before I respond after sending a hesitant glance Machi's way, getting an encouraging nod in return.

"U-uhm, w-well, I'm from a city called Kyushu, where my parents and I were nobles, but due to unfortunate circumstance, I am now alone and decided to just travel."

"Not alone." Machi says as she grabs my shoulder and stares intently into my eyes in a way that just has me mesmerised. "Not alone, not anymore."

I tear up a little and look away to wipe my eyes with my sleeve, and after I've calmed down a little, Tamaki continues his little investigation.

"Then, Felix, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly were these 'unfortunate circumstances' that led you here?"

Machi glares at her father for asking such a personal question, but before she can say anything I put my hand on her leg to stop her and give a brittle smile. It would suck if she ruined this opportunity.

"W-well, my f-family, they accidentally dealt with people from Iwa, and that let them assassinate another, more powerful noble, then the ninja from Konoha came, to right our wrong, I guess, and they k- they. It was the Konoha ninja who, who did it."

My sentence ends in a volume barely above a whisper, but I know they all heard it. Tamaki sends me a pitying look while Machi rubs by back as she leans on my arm to comfort me.

"While that is certainly horrible, I have a duty to ask, do you hold a grudge against Konoha for what they did? Do you seek revenge?"

"Father!"

Machi shouts at her father in fury for being so persistent in such a sensitive topic, but he returns her glare and they seem to have a silent conversation before Machi slumps back down, having clearly lost the argument, and goes back to being my emotional support.

"I-I um, I don't know what to think."

Tamaki gives a gentle smile at that before he responds in an equally gentle voice, probably as a concession to his daughter.

"The shinobi from Konoha are human just like the rest of us, and sometimes they make mistakes, I think, you should forgive, or at the least, understand that Konoha is not evil, even if it may be difficult for you to see that, but you are a kind hearted young boy, I'm sure you can find it in yourself to forgive them, eventually."

Huh. Damn, looks like they aren't turning traitor then. That kind of makes this whole thing feel pointless, but then I remind myself that it is important to be certain about things, and we wouldn't be certain about their loyalty without me doing this. Just because I don't get to rob them blind, doesn't mean it's a mission failure. In fact, I think this makes is a mission success.

Well, I'll stay around for a few more days, definitely not just to have steamy submissive sex. It's important to learn new things, even if they aren't as fun as the old things. Before I leave I will do some actual ninja snooping around just to make double sure of his loyalty.

The conversation after that is somewhat solemn, but peaceful nonetheless and after we are finished Machi takes me about town, probably to try and get my mind of off my parents death, how considerate of her.

Now, the real question is, should I just leave or should I die? I feel like just up and leaving could be bad, maybe, and it would take some serious effort to come up with an excuse to stay, not to mention, with my death I could cement their loyalty even further, or at least, ensure that they won't be joining Iwa any time soon. Yes, I think that will do nicely.

Plan set, I wait a few more days, during which I become more and more a part of the family, we haven't been together for long but already I have overheard Tamaki talking about marriage, I guess he approves of me. Too bad then, that on my trip into the forest to gather some more herbs, that myself and my guard of two bandits were beset upon by a lone, injured Iwa nin, who quickly killed one of the bandits and wounded me fatally before the other bandit, I mean, guard could take him down.

Shock! Horror! I am dying! Oh woe is me! So sad. Yes, yes, of course I will run away from the light, don't worry I am focusing on staying awake. Looks like it's too late for me, I've lost too much blood, how sad, oh well. Goodbye cruel world! Activate Hidden Technique: The Opossum's Fake Death no Jutsu! Bleh!

[POV Shift: Machi]

I have never been so happy in my life. My maid even said that it's like I'm glowing these days. But I just can't help but want to smile all the time!

Ever since Felix came into my life, everything has become so joyful that it feels like a dream, sometimes, I even worry that I will wake up one night, and he won't be there beside me, that this all would have been a dream and I would wake up for real. Well, if it is a dream, I hope I never wake up.

I was just tending to the garden, Felix has been teaching me how to properly tend to flowers, and we've planted some medicinal ones for him just in case of emergency, when my maid came out to greet me with a happy smile, carrying a small box with her.

"Ah! Finally! I didn't think it would take this long to make."

What I am talking about is, of course, a gift I commissioned for Felix. I know that Papa has been thinking about marriage, and honestly I can't help but get a little giddy at the thought, Felix and I, making our vows, exchanging rings, I can just picture our future together so clearly, us relaxing together as three, maybe four children run around us, or sit in our laps as Felix excitedly tells them stories and I watch, just, in love.

But I don't want to rush Felix, so I won't propose for at least a month or two, because Kami knows Felix would never propose by himself, the little scaredy cat. My little scaredy cat.

Right! The gift! It's a necklace that I called in some favours to be made, it has a simple string, but the main part, is a pink lotus, carved out of wood by the finest craftsman, and painted to be the same colour as his hear. I can just see how he will react already, getting all flustered in a way that I will never stop finding adorable. Plus he will probably be even more eager to please tonight, which is a nice bonus.

Then, as if the world seeks to mock my love, my happiness, one of the guards bursts into the garden out of breath and I turn to him as a pit of dread starts to form in my stomach.

"Youn- young miss! It's the Felix boy! He- he's been hurt!"

What. No no no nononononono 𝘯𝘰.

Now isn't the time to panic, I can do that later, with Felix in my arms so I can berate him for making me worry. Later.

"Take me to him. NOW!"

The idiot scrambles to his feat and leads the way as I run after him, urging him to run too, I don't care if you are tired, you will run or I will kill you.

When we finally make it to the front garden, it's all I can do to stop my world from crumbling apart as I see all the blood and Felix in the middle of it and 𝘰𝘩 𝘒𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥.

The few others in this town that have any medical knowledge are fussing around him but I don't care. Why is this happening? I rush to Felix's side, kneeling beside him, uncaring of how my favourite dress gets covered in blood, 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥.

"FELIX!! Felix! W-what. Y-you're going to be ok," I turn to the nurses around us, "He's going to be okay."

Why are they ignoring me. Why aren't they looking at me. WHY WON'T YOU LOOK AT ME!!

"I'm sorry, young miss, h-he's, he's lost too much blood. T-there's nothing we can do. I'm sorry."

No. no no no NO.

I snap my neck towards Felix as I feel him squeeze my hand. He's looking at me with that damn smile that I love so much, but there are tears in his eyes too and when he speaks he sounds so weak it feels like my heart is falling apart just from hearing it.

"H-h-hey, I-I'm, sorry, I sh-shouldn't have h-hesit-hesitat-ed."

I'm crying, I distantly notice as Felix shakily reaches into his pocket with his other hand, and tries to lift it to me, but I reach forward, to spare him the effort, he needs all the energy he can get right now so that he doesn't leave me.

"H-here, for, you."

I want to scream at him. To shout. To yell. Now isn't the time to be giving gifts! You're, you need to keep your strength! Please don't do this to me. Please.

"O-open it, p-ple-lease."

I do, through blurry eyes I open the box and I can't help the slight, delirious, choked sob that escapes my throat when I see what is inside. It's a ring. A wedding ring.

"I-I'm s-sorry, th-at, I'm too m-uch 'f a cow-ard, I love you."

Felix?

"Felix? Felix!? FELIX?" I scream but he doesn't respond anymore, his eyes turn glassy and his head lolls to the side. He- he's, he's- why. Wake up. Please. Please get up.

This is just a joke right? Right?

Just a stupid joke.

Please get up now.

Ha ha, it's not funny anymore.

Please.

Get up.

GET UP!!!

I'm feeling so detached that it takes me a moment to even realise that I'm sobbing now. Cradling Felix's blood soaked form to my chest, shaking and crying.

I didn't even get to show him my gift.

This isn't fair. Why is this so unfair. I just wanted to be happy. Is that too much to ask?

I look back down to Felix, and it's only now I realise. He's bleeding. That means he was wounded. Someone wounded him. Someone did this.

"Who." My voice was barely a whisper, but they heard me.

"W-what d-do you mean? Y-young Miss."

I turn to face the stupid fucking idiot that let the love of my life- and I put Felix down and stand up to walk to him.

"Who did this." My voice is so calm, so much more so that I feel, like someone else is taking the wheel right now. The idiot cowers but stays his ground to respond.

"I-Iwa. I-it was an Iwa shinobi. He-"

That's enough, I've heard enough. In one quick movement I grab the idiots sword, unsheathe it and in the same breath, re sheath it, only this time in the idiots chest. He coughs up some blood as he falls backwards, dead, but I don't care about that. Instead I return to Felix. He's getting cold. He needs warmth so I hug him close to me.

Iwa.

Now, I know who is responsible.

I feel a furnace burning in my chest. The fire of anger, of 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩 burning deep within my soul as my eyes darken and my mind settles on the singular objective of my wrath.

𝘐𝘸𝘢.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!

Ngl, I Kinda want to write some revolution style side-story now, where Machi burns Iwa to the ground or something. That was fun!

FUCK YEAHH WIFI BAYBY!! FUCK YOU NEANDERTHALS I HAVE INTERNET WOOOO!!

Might only post one chap today, I have 𝘴𝘰 much to catch up on. I think i missed at least one birthday.

ALSO!! @Mr_Potatochu made me a discord!

But then @THOTSLAYER made a better one!

https://discord.gg/Pj3Dttwses

(If you go to comment on the above chap, then you can copy paste the link from above the box you type in ;))

https://ko-fi.com/bored_works